Entrepreneurial Institute

Mission Statement: The Springfield Technical College
Entrepreneurial Institute serves as an integral part of the College
by reaching into the community to increase the stream of new entrepreneurs
who can grow and develop new companies. The Institute provides "one
stop" entrepreneurship education for student entrepreneurs who seek
business start-up or growth knowledge and information.

About the Entrepreneurial Institute

The
Entrepreneurial Institute is located in the School of Business and Information
Technologies at STCC.

The Entrepreneurial Institute is a leader in student entrepreneurship
education and business incubation at all ages. It focuses on all aspects
of entrepreneurship education, ranging from a two- year associate degree
to the K-8 elementary entrepreneur programs and student business incubation.
The Institute offers education programs to K-12 educators interested
in teaching entrepreneurship education.

The Entrepreneurial Institute runs the YES! (Young Entrepreneurial
Scholars) program for high schools throughout the region, the Entrepreneur
for a Day program for elementary and middle school entrepreneurs, the
E.Y.E. (Excellence in Youth Entrepreneurship) program for under served
youth in an outside of school program and the Community Foundation of
Western Massachusetts Student Business Incubator as part of student
business incubation.

A one-stop center for entrepreneurship education for over
2,000 individuals each year, the Entrepreneurial Institute serves as
a coalescing force in the development and delivery of entrepreneurship
education across the spectrum of present and future entrepreneurs. To
date, over 16,000 students have participated in the Entrepreneurial
Institute's programs.

History of the Entrepreneurial Institute at STCC

The Entrepreneurial Institute at STCC was started in 1996 to meet
the growing demand for entrepreneurial education.

Dr. Stephen Spinelli, Jr., co-founder of Jiffy Lube International
and executive director for the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurial
Studies at Babson College, has served as a consultant in STCC's entrepreneurial
programs since the Institute's inception. He is committed to the importance
of providing support and assistance to enterprising entrepreneurs. "Only
18% of new small businesses succeed. Those aren't good odds. We should
help the other 82% who need knowledge and guidance to make it as a successful
entrepreneur."

The Entrepreneurial Institute has grown dramatically since its start
and is a testament to the importance of entrepreneurship education at
all ages and educational levels.